Pamlico drug trafficker sentenced in Operation No Quarter

Published: Thursday, December 19, 2013 at 04:05 PM.

A Bayboro man has been sentenced to 123 months of imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release in connection with drug charges.

Norris Willis, 42, of Bayboro, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Louise Flanagan.

Willis previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 280 grams or more of crack.

On Oct. 21, 2008, Willis was arrested in South Carolina after he and his co-conspirators purchased one kilogram of cocaine from a confidential informant. On Nov. 30, 2010, the Pamlico County Sheriff’s Office used another confidential informant to buy 4.8 grams of crack from Willis. The investigation revealed that Willis was accountable for the distribution of 100 kilograms of cocaine, 1.48 kilograms of crack and 27 kilograms of marijuana from 1992 until Nov. 30, 2010.

The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation No Quarter was designed to attack the infrastructure of Mexican drug trafficking organizations, DTO, including those of the Los Zetas, La Familia, Gulf and Sinaloa drug cartels, operating not only in the Eastern District of North Carolina, but throughout North Carolina, the U.S. and Mexico. These DTOs are responsible for the importation of large quantities of cocaine, marijuana, heroin and methamphetamine into the U.S., as well as the related remittance of illegal drug proceeds back into Mexico.

The investigation spanned 10 years and five N.C. counties. As part of the investigation, more than 100 individuals have been charged by indictment or criminal information in the Eastern District of North Carolina and state courts. Law enforcement officials seized drugs with a street value $4.6 million, including 127 kilograms of cocaine, 53 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 160 pounds of marijuana and 32 grams of heroin.

A Bayboro man has been sentenced to 123 months of imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release in connection with drug charges.

Norris Willis, 42, of Bayboro, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Louise Flanagan.

Willis previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 280 grams or more of crack.

On Oct. 21, 2008, Willis was arrested in South Carolina after he and his co-conspirators purchased one kilogram of cocaine from a confidential informant. On Nov. 30, 2010, the Pamlico County Sheriff’s Office used another confidential informant to buy 4.8 grams of crack from Willis. The investigation revealed that Willis was accountable for the distribution of 100 kilograms of cocaine, 1.48 kilograms of crack and 27 kilograms of marijuana from 1992 until Nov. 30, 2010.

The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation No Quarter was designed to attack the infrastructure of Mexican drug trafficking organizations, DTO, including those of the Los Zetas, La Familia, Gulf and Sinaloa drug cartels, operating not only in the Eastern District of North Carolina, but throughout North Carolina, the U.S. and Mexico. These DTOs are responsible for the importation of large quantities of cocaine, marijuana, heroin and methamphetamine into the U.S., as well as the related remittance of illegal drug proceeds back into Mexico.

The investigation spanned 10 years and five N.C. counties. As part of the investigation, more than 100 individuals have been charged by indictment or criminal information in the Eastern District of North Carolina and state courts. Law enforcement officials seized drugs with a street value $4.6 million, including 127 kilograms of cocaine, 53 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 160 pounds of marijuana and 32 grams of heroin.